Final answer:
Neoclassical poetry was the most popular type of poem during the mid-eighteenth century, at the height of the neoclassical era. It adhered to classical principles of order, symmetry, and simplicity and drew inspiration from ancient Greek and Roman literature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of poem that was most popular during the mid-eighteenth century, at the height of the neoclassical era, was neoclassical poetry. Neoclassical poetry was characterized by its adherence to classical principles of order, symmetry, and simplicity. It drew inspiration from ancient Greek and Roman literature and focused on themes of reason, morality, and social harmony.
Poets such as Alexander Pope and John Dryden were prominent figures in neoclassical poetry during this time. They often wrote in heroic couplets, which consisted of rhyming pairs of lines in iambic pentameter.
Neoclassical poetry was widely appreciated by the aristocracy and was influenced by the intellectual movement of the Enlightenment. Its structured and formal style stood in contrast to the emotional and lyrical poetry of the Romantic period that followed.